Matches to Make After ‘The Ultimate Fighter 24’ Finale

“Mighty Mouse” stayed calm in the face of early adversity to retain
the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight crown with a unanimous
decision over Elliott in “The Ultimate Fighter 24” Finale main
event on Saturday at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Johnson
was awarded 49-46, 49-46 and 49-45 marks from the judges, as he
made his ninth consecutive successful title defense -- one shy of
former middleweight boss Anderson
Silva’s all-time UFC record.

Elliott did all he could to unseat the incumbent champion. He
caught Johnson in a tight guillotine in the first round and
transitioned to a brabo choke, squeezing until his arms could
squeeze no more. The AMC Pankration ace extricated himself, worked
back to his feet and restored order. Johnson spent much of the next
20 minutes assuming top position -- either through takedowns or
scrambles -- and compromising the Elliott guard with a series of
passes.

Johnson has now sat atop the flyweight division for 1,534 days and
has not lost a fight since his unanimous decision defeat to
reigning bantamweight champion Dominick
Cruz on Oct. 1, 2011.

In wake of “The Ultimate Fighter 24” Finale, here are five matches
that ought to be made:

Demetrious
Johnson vs. Joseph
Benavidez: While a rematch with the aforementioned
Cruz remains a part of any future plans involving Johnson, he still
has worthy contenders waiting on him at 125 pounds. Benavidez --
who has twice tried and failed to crack the “Mighty Mouse” code --
recorded his fifth straight victory in the co-headliner, as he
edged 2008 Olympic gold medalist Henry
Cejudo in a crackling three-round affair. The Elevation Fight
Team export has lost two only two men in his 29-fight career,
falling twice to Johnson and twice to Cruz.

Jorge
Masvidal vs. Donald
Cerrone-Matt Brown
winner: Masvidal appeared well on his way to beating
Jake
Ellenberger but nevertheless benefitted from a bizarre sequence
of events in their welterweight showcase. The American Top Team
mainstay had Ellenberger reeling with punches and knees in the
first round, nearly forcing a stoppage. After withstanding
Masvidal’s initial barrage, “The Juggernaut” gathered himself,
charged forward and slid into the cage. In the process, his big toe
became lodged in the fence, prompting referee Herb Dean to
intervene. After consulting with the Nevada Athletic Commission,
Dean awarded Masvidal the technical knockout. Cerrone and Brown
will square off at UFC 206 on Dec. 10.

Sara McMann
vs. Liz
Carmouche:Alexis
Davis had designs on a triumphant return. McMann had other
ideas, as the 2004 Olympic silver medalist became the first woman
to ever submit the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt in MMA
competition. McMann did the honors with a second-round
arm-triangle, spoiling Davis’ first appearance inside the Octagon
since April 2015. Carmouche has rattled off back-to-back wins, her
latest conquest coming in a split decision over the previously
unbeaten Katlyn
Chookagian at UFC 205 on Nov. 12.

Brandon
Moreno vs. Zach
Makovsky-Dustin
Ortiz winner: At 22 years of age, Moreno has plenty of
time to grow into his talents -- a frightening thought for the rest
of the flyweight division. The Entram Gym prospect ran his winning
streak to 10 fights and backed up his Oct. 1 upset of Louis
Smolka by pocketing a split decision over Ryan Benoit
in a three-round main-card pairing at 125 pounds. Moreno worked
behind a stiff jab, countered beautifully throughout and mixed in
takedowns when the situation called for them. Makovsky and Ortiz
will lock horns at UFC 206 in Dec. 10 in Toronto.

Henry
Cejudo vs. Ali
Bagautinov: Cejudo likely raised his stock in losing a
contentious split decision to Benavidez in the co-headliner. The
29-year-old Los Angeles native was the aggressor for much of the
15-minute clash, knocked down Benavidez with a left hook in the
first round and worked over his body with kicks and knees. Still,
Cejudo has suffered consecutive defeats and will need a win in his
next outing to stay relevant at the top of the flyweight division.
Bagautinov last competed at UFC Fight Night 99 on Nov. 19, when he
dropped a unanimous verdict to Japanese star Kyoji
Horiguchi. His two other UFC losses resulted from his
encounters with Johnson and Benavidez.